Symposium Artists in Transit and 8th General Assembly in Berlin (by Andrea Kozarova)

SÍM Residency Berlin

IAA Europe statement to situation in Turkey

To the Prime Minister of Turkey, Mr. Erdogan

                IAA Europe represents one of five cultural regions of UNESCO, and is a member of the International Association of Art, IAA/AIAP – a global organization comprising visual artists.  Our main goals are to improve international cooperation in the fields of artistic creativity, communication and collaboration between artists and their associations, and working conditions for visual artists.

               IAA Europe is deeply concerned about a development in Turkey concerning the freedom of expression, including the recent murderous attack on Bedri Baykam and his colleague. Baykam was elected as a member of the IAA Executive Committee in Guadalajara, Mexico, just over a week before the attack. He was severely injured after the press conference held by the Turkish Artists Association on April 18th, in defense of the Monument to Humanity, an important sculpture by acclaimed sculptor Mehmet Aksoy, symbolizing peace and humanity. Prior to the attacks, IAA Europe called on Turkish authorities by sending letters to the Turkish Minister of Culture and the Turkish National Commission for UNESCO to use their political influence in Turkey. Despite these efforts, the situation has worsened, and escalated with the demolition of the statue and attack on Baykam.

               Bedri Baykam is an excellent representative of Turkish artists and an important member of our international association. The 7th General Assembly of IAA Europe, in October 2010, approved his recommendation concerning cultural and political conflicts, and freedom of cultural expressions.

We expect the Turkish Government to secure the safety of our colleagues, and to actively prosecute those responsible for this horrendous act. We also call on the Turkish authorities to put an immediate end to the demolition of the sculpture, and to permit its restoration forthwith

 On behalf of Executive Committee IAA Europe

Pavol Kráľ                                                                         Christos Symeonides

Secretary of IAA Europe                                                    President of IAA Europe

IAA Europe Calls for the Immediate Release of Artist Ai Weiwei

IAA Europe Calls for the Immediate Release of Artist Ai Weiwei

             International Association of Art Europe is member of the International Association of Art IAA/AIAP - global organization comprising visual artists. Our main goals are to improve international cooperation in the fields of artistic creativity, mediation and working conditions for the visual artists. Freedom of expression is one of the hallmarks of a free and democratic society and any curtailment or breach of this basic civil right must be utterly condemned.

Ai Weiwei, one of Chinas most important artists, was arrested in Beijing in April as he attempted to board a flight to Hong Kong. Beijing police raided his studio at the same time, his wife as well as several studio assistants was detained temporarily. Authorities are now officially investigating Ai Weiwei according to law on suspicion of economic crimes, he has been missing, his family has yet to be informed about his whereabouts and why he was being held.

            The International Association of Art (IAA) Europe, on behalf of Executive Committee IAA Europe, condemns this arbitrary treatment as an abuse of human rights. Furthermore we see in it a serious violation of the freedom of art.

We strongly protest against the arrestment of our colleague and call on the Chinese authorities to set Ai Weiwei free immediately.

 On behalf of Executive Committee IAA Europe

Pavol Kráľ                                                                      Christos Symeonides

Secretary of IAA Europe                                                 President of IAA Europe

The Executive Committee of IAA/AIAP

 

The Executive Committee of IAA/AIAP

as elected at the International General Assembly of IAA/AIAP

Guadalajara, Mexico, 2011

President:                Rosa Maria Burillo, Mexico

Vice President:      Grete Marstein, Norway

Treasurer:                 Anne Pourny, France

Regional coordinators:

Asia and the Pacific:                               Kan Irie, Japan
Latin America and the Caribbean:     Ulises Roman, Chile
Africa:                                                          Dev Chooramun, Mauritius
Europe:                                                        Anders Lidén, Sweden

EC members:
Bedri Baykam, Turkey
(with special responsibility for contacts with the Arab region)
Anton Lobser, South Africa
Christos Symeonides, Cyprus
Pavol Kral, Slovakia